1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a valve assembly and more specifically to a valve assembly for a spa.
2. Background Information
A spa is an indoor or outdoor hot water bath which is designed for therapeutic purposes or simply for relaxation. A spa typically has jets for injection of pressurized fluid into the spa. The jets are positioned at spaced intervals below the water level of the tub and inject the fluid, which is usually either hot water, air, or a mixture of both, directly into the water in the tub. The jet streams contribute to the therapeutic or relaxing effect of the spa on a bather.
The injected fluid is pressurized by a pump which draws the injection water from the tub for recirculation and which draws the injection air from the atmosphere. The pump distributes the injected fluid at a desired pressure to the jets via a network of plumbing lines. Such spas may be provided with a valve which regulates the distribution of the injected fluid to the jets. The jet distribution valve is across the pump outlet line and is capable of diverting the injected fluid to any number of jets in various combinations, depending upon the configuration of the plumbing and the valve. A bather operates the valve via a control knob on the exterior of the spa.
A common problem encountered during operation of the jet distribution valve is the buildup of solid deposits in the valve which inhibit its effective operation. The deposits can be scale which forms from hard water used in the spa or the deposits can simply be an accumulation of dirt, plant matter, or other airborne particulates which fall into the tub and accumulate in the valve when the water is recirculated. Buildup of deposits can require frequent cleaning of the valve.
Unfortunately, servicing of jet distribution valves known in the art is made difficult because a skirt, enclosing the spa to conceal the pump and associated plumbing from bathers, limits access to the valve. Internal access to the distribution valve can be facilitated by providing a service door in the skirt. However, the distribution valve must then be positioned near the service door, which in turn restricts the positioning of the valve control knob without the use of a cumbersome extended linkage between the valve and control knob.
Known jet distribution valves are likewise difficult to service from the exterior of the spa. For example, one conventional jet distribution valve is mounted to the tub by an adhesive glue and a plurality of screws. The valve body is glued to the underside of the tub and a plate is provided on the top side of the tub through which the plurality of screws is driven into the valve body to secure the plate thereto.
External servicing of the valve is only accomplished by removing the plurality of screws from the top plate and subsequently removing the plate. However, this is a laborious task which is not entirely satisfactory, oftentimes requiring the attention of a skilled service person. Furthermore, it has been found necessary to provide a water tight seal across the lip opening, which receives the control knob linkage, to prevent water intrusion into the spa interior. Since the top plate is not suited to perform this function, it has been necessary to provide the watertight seal at the less accessible glue joint in the spa interior.
As such, a spa valve assembly is needed which obviates the problem of access to the components of the valve assembly in a practical manner. Particularly, a valve assembly is needed which enables convenient access to the valve assembly for servicing while enabling placement of the valve control knob on the spa at a location convenient to the user.